The Kato Indians belonged to the Athapascan linguistic stock, and spoke a dialect peculiar to themselves.
Kato Indians. A Pomo place name meaning “lake.” Also called:
Batem-da-kai-ee, given by Gibbs (1853).
Kai Po-mo, given by Powers (1877). Laleshiknom, Yuki name.
Tlokeang, own name.
Location. On the uppermost course of the South Fork of Eel River.
Villages. There are said to have been nearly 50 of these, probably an overestimate, but none of their names are known.
Population. Kroeber (1925) estimates 500 Kato in 1770; about 50 persons, mostly full-bloods are still reckoned as Kato. (See Bear River Indians.)
